3YA LISTENERS

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 16, 4 November 1927, Page 4

3YA LISTENERS

POOR RESPONSE TO MEETING MAJORITY SA‘TISTIND. After some months of quiescence in Christchurch, during which 3A» programmes have been vastly improving, some critics, by means of anonymous correspondence in the papers, recently endeavoured to promote an agitation and cause dissatisfaction with the broadcasting service. The old familiar "seething with discontent’-the timeworn expression used by all propagand-ists-was lavishly applied to listeners who were said by the anonymous correspondents to be in that state regarding SYA programmes. The agitation was unaccountable. It showed what can be done by a few dissatisfied people, but the sequel also showed what such an agitation ig worth. One correspondent was rash enough to ask, ‘‘What is the Listeners’ League doing?" ‘This bronght the instant retort from the league, ‘Awaiting the support of listeners," and the challenge of the unknown correspondent was answered by the league calling a public meeting, to which not only members of the league, but also listeners, were invited. The meeting was duly held, about * sixty people attending. It was not @ very great response from 5000 Iicense owners, who were supposed to be "seething with discontent," and desirous of making radical changes in the programmes at 3YA, At the meeting the preponderance of what was said was in favour of the Broadcasting Company. ‘Those who did criticise differed amongst themselves as to their gronnds for complaint. One said that variety was lacking, another that there was ample variety bnt not enough quality, and another that there was already too much quality or "high brow"’ stuff. One inan said there should be a vandeville programme every night, such as could be got at Fullers, little realising that this well-known company, with all its organisation, cannot put on a change every night, but runs the same vaudeville for weeks at a time. One suggestion that was made, and which met with the general approval of the meeting, was that the Broadcasting Company should be requested to appoint a programme committee on which the listeners of Canterbury would be represented, The general manager of the Broad: casting Company, Mr. A. R. Harris, who was present at the meeting, said the Broadcasting Company would welcome the co-operation of listeners in this way, provided that the fisteners’ representative represented a majority of the listeners in the arei served by 3YA. The chairman, Mr. M. J. Gresson, president ef the Canterbury Listeners’ Teague, said this was a very reasonable condition to make. He pointed out that the membership of the league was only between 300 and 400 out of some 6000 licenses in the district, and he raised the question as to how a representative was to be appointed. . Considerable discussion ensued on this aspect but no solution was found, and the meeting came to an end, Next evening the radio editor of the "Star’’ had this paragraph in his notes :- "Aerial"? would like to voice dis« appointment at the small attendance at last night’s meeting of listeners, for a city that has at least 3000 licensed listeners, an attendance of about fifty or so at this meeting shows either that the great majority of listeners are satisfied with the fare provided by 3YA, or that they are too lazy to help others in their attempt to secure better and brights er programmes, ‘‘And that’s that]’*